Automatic arc-welding shield



June 10 1924.

1,497,012 E. s. GooDsPEED AUTOMATIC ARC WELDING SHIELD Filed June 1o -1921 June 10 1924.

1,497,012 E. s. GooDsPEED AUTOMATIC ARC WELDIG SHIELD Filed June l0 1921` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 `30 'skin of those in close malas .im 1o, i924.

PATENT oer-TCE.

113m S. 600mm, OF DETROIT, IICEIGAN, ASSIGNOB T0 GENERAL IOTOBS MB- POIATION, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OSIl DELAWARE.

'avremmo anc-WELDING SHIELD.

Application med June 10,

To all whom it may coment:

Be it known that I, ELVIN S. .Goonsrnnn,` a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Detroit, county of Wayne, and State of 5 Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Arc- Welding Shields, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art towhich the invention relates to make and use the same, reference being made therein to. the accompany-in drawings, which form a art of this speci cation.

he invention relates to protective apparatus and more particularly to shields designed'to be employed in connection with apparatus inthe use of which it is necessary or-desirable to rotect the attendants or workmen fro e ects incidental to the operation of th apparatus. As an illustration of one of the many :forms of apparatus to which such devices `are applicable', reference may be made to means em loyed in the production and utilization o? the electric arc, especially for metal cutting, welding, and like operations, it being well known thatthe rays emitted bythe electric arc are highly injurious to \thej.ey es and likely to cause serious burns upon exposed portions of the roximity to the source of such rays. Accordingly I shall describe herein one embodiment o my invention particularly designed for the protection of workmen engaged in-the use of electric arc ap aratus.v

Vgne of the objects of my invention, therefore, is the provision ofmeans for rotect' ing a'workman from injury due to t e rays emitted by an electric arc. Y 40' A further object is to provide in connection with electric arc produc' and utilizing, mechanism, a shie for` automaticall rendering the shie d effective upon or preliminary to the formation of the arc. Y l

Afurther object is to provide in connection-with mechanism from the effects .of which it is desirable to protect an attendant, a 'shield automatically operable to eective i position u n the initiation' of the operation' of the sai mechanism.

A further ob'ect is to provide a shield com- -prising a hea iece and means associated therewith where y protective means may be dem yin means 1m. serial Imaam.

l mechanically positioned beforethe face or 56 eyes of the wearer, such means being con'- trollable preferably from a distance so as not 'o to require direct vactuation or manipulation by the wearer. Further objects and advanta es will ap- 00 pear from the following descrlption taken in connection with-the accompanying drawings, in which F' shield protect the ace and eyes of a workman from injury by rays emitted from an electric 1 is a front elevation of a form of arc;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of parts of the head-piece show'n in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the shieldshowing .a wiring diagram in connection therewith;

Fig. 5 isa diagrammatic view showing a 75 different wiring arrangement; -and Fig. 6 is a. perspective viewv illustrating the utilization of'the shield in connection with an arc welding operation.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates a 00, casing or frame, preferably of opaque noncombustible material such, for example, as a metal, aluminum being particularly suitable because of its lightness, withinwhich are housed the moving parts ofthe shield. The casin 6 is shown as circular infront elevation, ut its form may ofcourse be varied widely as desired. As illustrated, it is' provided with a flange 7.around the outer edge adapted to t upon a shield member 8 of 90 fibre board or other suitable o aque material to which the casing is secu as by fastenin means 9.

ve casing 6 is provided with one or more apertures or windows 10 suitably positioned Il and 'shapled so Aas to permit a workman wearing the cad-piece to view throu h the saidwindows the operations upon w 'ch he is engaged. If desired, a transparent material such as pieces of clear glass 11 maybe placed 100 over these apertures and retained y e ment therewith of la plate 12 securedl to e facefof the c Arran centrally of the casing 6 and passing t erethrough-is a indle 13 which xq maybe screw-threaded an provided with 'nuts 14 adapted, ifA desired, to clamp together the casing 6' andthe plate 12, which spindle embod ing a head-piece adapted to lil lapertures and is windows 10 and permit the operator to look through both sets of apertures in order to View the work upon which he is engaged. rlhe material 17 may be selected in accordance with the character of the eects from which it is desired to protect the wearer, and, for use with electric welding apparatus, may consist of colored glass of a type now generally employed in shields for this purpose.

In order to retain the shield closing means, as the shutter 16, in open position.

that is, in a position wherein it is out of register with the apertures 10, a coiled spring 19 may be connected at one end to the shutter and at the other to a fixed part Vof the mechanism, as to the casing 6, the

spring being arranged to exert a force on the ,shutter tending to rotate it to the open position. The extent of movement of, the shutter in this direction may-be limited by suitable stop means', for example, by engagement of thel edge of the shutter with the edge ofthe bracket 18, as at 18 (Fig. 2).

The actuation of the shutter toward the closed position, that is, to a position in which the light passing throughy the wind ows 10 must also pass through the light selective means 17, is effected preferably by automatic means so 'associated with the arc producing and utilizin ap aratus that the shutter will be closed s ight y before the arc is produced. 'In the embodiment illustrated,.the automatic means includes a pair of electro-magnets 20 whose pole pieces are extended as at 21 in proximity-to the path of movement of the shutter 16, which lat'- ter will be of magnetic material. A iyoke or band 22 of magnetic material may connect the two electro-magnets, which will then be oppositely wound, providing thus a substantially single horseshoe magnet the `opposite poles of which will be positioned ad3acent the endsof the shutter 16 when the latter is inv its? closed position., The windings of the electro-magnets may be connected through binding posts 23 to a suitable source of current in the circuit 24. A switch 25 is shown in the circuit 24 arranged to be actuated to closed position by an electro-magnet 26 placed in a circuit 27 arranged in shunt with the main circuit 28 supplying current to the arc 29.

In Fig. 5 l have illustrated a variant arrangement of wiring adapted for use particularly where the main circuit is normally open and is arranged to be closed by an auxiliary circuit under the direct control of the operator. In this form the main circuit 30 is shown as including the work piece 31 the metallic electrode 32, an electrode clamp 33 having an insulated handle 34, and a switch 35. An auxiliary or control 'circuit 36 includes a switch 37. operable by a trigger or the like 38 in the handle 34, and a solenoid 39 operative, when energized, to close the main switch 35. Conductors 40, which may be arranged in shunt with the solenoid 39, complete the .circuit through the magnets 20 of the shield operating mechanism.

It will be understood that the means' for associating the action oi' the shutter with the operation of the are producing mechanism may be widely varied in accordance .with the character of the said mechanism or other circumstances. ,In some cases it might be desirable to eliminate the automatic feature and provide a push button or the* like in convenient position for actuation by the Workman, which arrangement might be the same as that shown in Fig. 5 i the solenoid 39 and switch 35 were eliminated. Various other ways will, of course, occur to one skilled in the art whereby the actuation of the shieldtov an operative or eiiective position may\ be made dependent upon the conditions obtaining in the apparatus in connection with which the use of the shield is desirabledand it is not my intention to limit my invention, generically considered, to any specic details eitherfof such apparatus or of the operating mechanism. y

The movement ofthe shutter to closed position may be limited by engagement of the edge of the shutter with the bracket 18, as already described with reference to the opening movement. It may be desirable, however, to provide means to prevent rebound of the shutter and to insure its-,retention inclosed position during the How of current in the shutter-actuating circuit. This may be accomplished, as 'shown in Fig. 2, by providing the pole pieces 21 with inwardly extending shoulders 21 with which correspondingly shaped portions 16 of the vshutters will come in contact as the shutter reaches the limit of its movement, thus serving as a stop for the shutter and holding it at its limit of movement by the magnetic attraction, which, of course, is greatly increased as the surfaces come into contact. The breakingof the actuating circuit by destroying the magnetic field permits the o ening of the shutter under the influence of -t e spring 19.

The shield 8 will be of shape and material suitable to protect the'exposed portions of the face of the operator and, if desired, a skirt 41 may be attached to the edge oi the shield member to serve as a furtherl pro-- tection to the operatoragainst burns-from the actinicrays of the.arc or from sparks produced in connection with the utilization of the arc. The shield as a whole may be supported upon the person in any suitable manner, as by the provision of side bows 42, top bow 43, and a chin piece 44 mounted uponthe shield member 8, which bows and piece may be adjusted in position or by bending 1n order to accommodate the supporting means to the contour of the head of the workman and adjust the sight openings to the eyes of the wearer.

In the operation of the shield as illustrated, the headpiece may be placed upon the head of the workman, the window or windows 10 being so located that the shield will not interfere With or obstruct the lview of the workman in connection with his usual preliminary work. However, upon the initiation of operation of the mechanism with which it is associated, for example, upon the flow of current inthe control circuit to produce an arc, the shutter 16 will be rotated to a position in which the light passing through the window or windows 10-must also .pass through the selective medium 17 before reaching the eyes of the workman.l

Inasmuch as the flow of current inthe circuits as shown to produce the arc will take place before thearc is actually formed, it

' ofthe workman.

the arc, the breaking of the circuit which will be obvious that the closing of the shutter will precede by a slight but suicient interval the formation of the arc and there is therefore no danger that the light emitted by the arc will strike the unprotected eyes Upon the interruption of includes the shutter operating means will permit the return of the shutter to its nonobstructed position by means of the spring 19 or 'equivalent actuating device. The shield therefore provides a means for insuring the protection of the workman from injury by light or other emanations, sparks,

flymg particles, or other analogous effects incident to his occupation, without requir-.

ing any attention on the part of the wearer other than the attaching of the shield -in suitable position upon the person, thereby not only freeing the hands of the wearer for the work upon which he is engaged, but

also preventing occurrence of injury by rea- Yd son of any negligence or inattention of the operator himself.

It will be understood that the selection A of material for the protective parts of the shield, head-piece, or helmet. willdepend upon the particular relation in which it is to be employed-the materials being` such, of course, as will intercept the particular effects, emanations, particles, etc. from rwhich the wearer is to be protected. The automatic actuation 0f the .shield may also bereaf devices sensitivetothe said conditions.

.dered responsive to any desired conditions incident to the existence of -the deleterious agents from which protection is desired by merely placing the actuation of the' shield closing means under the control ofsuitable Many changes may be made also in the mechanical details of the shield without deivf parting from the spirit and scope of the invention and. therefore I Vdo not desire to-` be limited in any way by reason of the foreeffective.

'2. A shield adapted toV be carried upon n the person and comprising protective means .adapted to be moved to position for protecting the person from injury, and'electrically operated means automatically! actuated to move said protective means to protecting position upon the occurrence of conditions conducive to injurious eiects.

3. In combination. with electric arc apparatus, a, shield adapted to be rendered effective to protect the person from effects incident to the arc, and means associatedv with the arc-producing circuitv or circuits for rendering said shield eective.

4. In combination with electric aro apparatus, a shield comprising a head-piece, means thereon movable to position to pro-Y tectA` the wearer from eil'ects incident to the arc, and means actuated preliminary to the production of the arc for moving said movable means to protective position.

5. A shield vcomprising a head-piece having means movable to and from an eye-protecting position and electrical means for actuating'saidrst mentioned means to protecting position.

6. A shield comprising a head-piece having one or more windows therein, a shutter adapted to be positioned before said winow or windows, means for moving said shutter to closedY position. and magnetic means for retainingA the shutter in closed position.

7. A shield comprising Aa headpiece hav- Y ing one or more`windows therem, a vshutter adapted to be positioned before/said window or windows, spring means for mo said shutter to o position, and electromagnetic means or moving said -shutterpto closed position.

8, In combmatlon wah electnc are spparatus, a, shield oomprisin a head-piece sit-ion, anti connections arranged between havin awindow therein, a, s lutter movable said are apparatus and said electro-magnetic to ang from a, position in register with said means adapted to cause actuation of said 10 WindoW,e1eotro-magnetic means for moving last-mentioned means upon the supplying 5 said shutter to closed position, means aetof current to said are. ing in opposition to said electro-magnetic En testimony whereof I aflix my si stufe. means for moving said shutter to open po- ELVN S. GGDS-P ED.- 

